Many people experience breathing problems on a recurring basis, which often result in sleep disordered breathing (e.g., difficulty sleeping, snoring, or other more serious conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea). Various devices may be used to adjustably position a user's lower jaw relative to the user's upper jaw in order to open the breathing passageway more fully and thereby allow easier breathing through the nose and mouth. In certain cases, prolonged use of a device that adjustably positions a lower jaw relative to an upper jaw may leave the user's jar in an unnatural position or temporarily modify the user's bite once the device is removed.
Overview
According to one embodiment, a method for forming a custom-molded oral appliance for positioning a user's jaw proximate to centric occlusion is disclosed. The method includes heating a thin sheet of material comprising a polycaprolactone polymer. The thin sheet of material is positioned within the user's mouth. The user's jaw is positioned proximate to centric occlusion. The thin sheet of material is molded around at least respective portions of the user's upper and lower dental arches such that each of the respective portions of the user's upper and lower dental arches form respective impressions on opposite sides of the thin sheet of material. The thin sheet of material is transitioned to a substantially non-deformable state.
Certain embodiments may provide one or more technical advantages. For example, certain embodiments may provide for an oral appliance that facilitates the repositioning of a user's jaw. Particular embodiments may be readily customized to fit the particular features of a user's mouth. Various embodiments may provide for the efficient and relatively inexpensive formation of a jaw-repositioning oral appliance consisting entirely or substantially of a polycaprolactone polymer. Particular oral appliances formed from one or more polycaprolactone polymers may provide a deformable structure at an elevated temperature that is safe for use in a user's mouth. The deformable structure may be molded within the user's mouth to a desired shape and may also be wholly or partially transitioned to a substantially non-deformable state while within the user's mouth. Particular embodiments may be capable of retaining a desired shape over time even after multiple uses within the user's mouth. In addition, particular oral appliances formed from one or more polycaprolactone polymers may be thinned at certain locations to 0.1 mm or less and may be capable of retaining a molded shape at those thinned locations. Certain embodiments may provide all, some, or none of these advantages. Certain embodiments may provide one or more other technical advantages, one or more of which may be apparent to those skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims included herein.